Another Columbus Adventure: Probably a One-Time Chance

During my second week at seminary, an email began to circulate from Pastor Shelley Nelson-Bridger seeking a musician to play for a “contemporary-ish” service on a Sunday morning.  I had already made plans to attend an Episcopal church with a very fine organist, but it sounded like the regular keyboardist was out of town, and someone who had promised to substitute had backed out.  I was sympathetic (it had just happened to me) and agreed to play – as long as I didn’t have to put in a lot of preparation time. (My work load was already pretty heavy and practice instruments aren’t always easy to come by at Trinity.)

Pastor Shelley promised a ride and lunch (in addition to a stipend), so I offered to help.  As the week went on, I found myself looking forward to it!  This would probably be my only chance to ever visit this church and town.

Sunday morning we left at 7:30 – our destination was 70 miles outside of Columbus.  We were headed for Galilee Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Russells Point, Ohio where Pastor Shelley serves as the Interim Pastor.

The service consisted mostly of standard praise choruses from the 70s and 80s, along with the traditional Lutheran liturgy.  Galilee Lutheran, named because of the proximity of Indian Lake, is a homey little church built in 1975.  A captain’s wheel and painting of a lake behind the altar enhances the identity of this lakeside congregation.

Pastor Shelley Nelson-Bridger

The singing was ably led by Pastor Shelley and Michael while the assembly happily joined along. After the service, I found the congregation to be friendly and welcoming.  If you are ever in the area, I encourage you to visit this congregation.  “Contemporary-ish” worship is offered on the first and third Sundays of the month and traditional worship is offered on the second, fourth, and fifth Sunday of the month. Their website is http://galileeatindianlake.com/.

After church, we drove around Indian lake.  Years ago, there were several small lakes and streams in the area. In the late 1800s, a project was undertaken which included the building of a dam and connecting the small lakes to form a single lake that fills more than 6,000 acres.  There are inlets and islands at every turn.  For a few moments, I thought I was in a seashore town like Brunswick, Georgia.  (I would love to know how many millions of dollars in annual boat sales are made in the small Ohio town.  It must be quite a business.)

The worshiping community at Galilee Lutheran Church

Lunch was at the Tilton Hilton, a charming lakeside (dockside service provided!) restaurant which, over the years, has developed floors that slant so much the tables actually have legs on one side that are longer than the other side.  It felt like a fish camp on the way to Amelia Island, very casual, with a menu of great sandwiches and appetizers.  (I enjoyed my grilled chicken wrap and we shared an order of fried onion petals.)

The Tilton Hilton - from their Facebook Page

This was probably a one-time chance to meet Lutherans in this part of the country and I am so glad that I was able to go!  Thank you, Pastor Shelley, for inviting me and for a delicious lunch! It was a pleasant and unexpected break from my studies.

Stepping Outside of the Fold and Feeling Pretty Much At Home

Even when I am out of town on vacation, I like to go to church.  I usually choose a Lutheran (ELCA) or Episcopal Church because I look forward to the Sunday Eucharist.

Today I chose differently.

James Freeman, our organ technician at St. Mark’s suggested I go to First Congregational Church to hear this baby, built by Rudolf von Beckerath from Hamburg, Germany in 1972:

The church actually has two organs.  In the chancel they have an organ built by W.W. Kimball (Chicago) in 1931.  Ample information about the organs is available at http://www.first-church.org/TheOrgans.aspx.

First Congregation, an open and affirming congregation, has one of those grand church structures that inspires awe on the inside and out.  Over the doors in the front of the church are the words “Enter to worship. Depart to serve.”

The church viewed from East Broad Street

The worship service felt very liturgical!  As we gathered and prepared for worship, Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in A (BWV 536) floated down from the balcony. The language of the liturgy felt very similar to what I am used to hearing. For example, this prayer at the beginning of the service:

Keep, O Holy One, your household the Church in your steadfast faith and love; that through your grace we may proclaim your truth with boldness and administer your church with justice with compassion; for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

There was no psalm, but the epistle and gospel readings both matched the readings in the Revised Common Lectionary – so we heard the story of the woman who anointed the feet of Jesus, washed them with her tears, and dried them with her hair.

During the sermon, the Rev. Timothy C. Ahrens asked us to hear Jesus’ question, “Do you see this woman?”  He said that most theologians and preachers like to talk about her history as a prostitute, but encouraged us to see her as a disciple whose actions prefigured the crucifixion.  He encouraged the assembly with these words: May Jesus’ words guide your looking and seeing the women in your life.

Inside the narthex

The hymns were “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah,” “As We Walk through Life with Jesus,” (written by Pastor Ahrens and dedicated to his parents for their 65^th wedding anniversary), and “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.”  Additional music at the offering and postlude was from a concerto by Marcello with organ and saxophone.  The saxophone was ably played by Grace Gelpi, a student at Michigan State University.  It suited the solemnity of worship and felt like a special grace for the morning.

The Pastor is Rev. Dr. Timothy C. Ahrens and the Music Director is Kevin Jones, M.M.  I did not get to meet him, but admired his playing of the voluntaries and the hymns.  If you are in the Columbus area, I would recommend visiting this church. First Congregational Church is at 444 East Broad Street in Columbus, Ohio.

A beautiful banner and with a stand that is also a work of art

Did I miss having the Lord’s Supper?  Sure.  But when you are attending a Lutheran seminary where there is worship every day, the Eucharist is never far away.

The altar